Cushioning device for the picking stick of looms



April 4, 1967 p c o 3,312,254

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR THE PICKING ST ICK OF LO OMS Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

J. PL'ccLno/ ATTORNEE55 A ril 4, 1967 J, p|AN0L 3,312,254

CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR THE PICKING STICK OF LOOMS Filed Nov. 25; 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. J. P cca no! GLJWJ Q u ATTO R N. E 5S United States Patent Ofifice 3,312,254 Patented Apr. 4, 1967 3,312,254 CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR THE PICKING STICK F LOOMS Jaime Picanol, Casa Pairal Catalunya, Zandherg, Zillebeke, near Ypres, Belgium Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,798 Claims priority, application Belgium, Feb. 18, 1964, 43,400, Patent 643,932 Claims. (Cl. 139-168) Numerous solutions have already been proposed to resolve in the looms the problem of the braking and the securing of the picking stick at the end of its stroke. The picking speeds presently required in the modern looms are subjecting the picking stick to substantial strains namely when the shuttle comes at the bottom of the box. The cushioning devices with resilient stops, generally of leather, are substantially out of use and they are replaced by devices with which the picking stick comes progressivebraking of the. picking stick. However, the presently known devices of that type are not yet completely satisfactory owing to the difficulty of adjusting the friction of the said flexible element against the stationary guiding elements thereof for a given angular displacement of the picking stick. In addition, to be acceptable, a cushioning device must restore substantially no work likely to throw the picking stick in a direction opposite to the strains.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such cushioning device working securely. This has been proved satisfactory during the tests effected by means of said device and more particularly when projecting films of the picking stick during the said tests.

A cushioning-stopping device according to the invention consists of the combination of a cushioning member and a stopping member, the said cushioning member consisting' substantially of at least a flexible strip guided by two friction drums, the said strip having a surface receiving the picking stick between the said two guiding drums and the ends thereof being secured to an adjustable return drum, the said stopping member being substantially disposed in a plane parallel to the said surface receiving the strip and retracted therefrom when the latter is at rest.

To more clearly point out the characteristics of the invention, an embodiment thereof will be now described by way of example and without any limitation, with reference to the enclosed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a loom showing the position occupied by the cushioningstopping device in the loom;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plane view of the device according to the invention showing also the picking stick at the end of its stroke and the shuttle in the bottom of the box;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view with a partial cutting of the cushioning-stopping device according to the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of a friction drum provided in the device according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective three-quarter rear view of the device represented in FIGURE 3, the return drum of the device being represented in exploded view.

The cushioning member of the device according to the invention consists of a support 1, which itself consists of two parallel plates 2 and 3 respectively, spaced away from each other on a given distance by columns 4. Between the said plates 2 and 3, are mounted two friction drums 5 and 6 respectively arranged to be surrounded by a. strip or a belt 7 receiving the picking stick, the ends of which 8 and 9 respectively are secured on a return drum 10. The return drum 10 is mounted on an axis 11, the upper end of which is kept in a housing 12 integral with the said upper plate 3. Each of the fraction drums 5 and 6 consists of two cupel-shaped half cylinders 13 and 14 respectively, the periphery edge of the half cylinder 14 being provided with male and female cuts 15 and 16 respectively, whereas the peripheral edge of the half cylinder 13 is provided with a female and male cut 17 and 18 respectively in such manner that when butt assembling both half cylinders 13 and 14, the said both peripheral edges are fitting into each other. On its inner portion, the half cylinder 14 has a series of cylindrical housings coaxial with the axis of the said half cylinder 14 to receive spring 19in such manner that, when assembling the said half cylinders 13 and 14, the latter are continuously pushed back from each other. As previously indicated, each of the said friction drums 5 and 6 is mounted be tween the said plates 2 and 3 of the support 1 by means of an axis 2%, namely a bolt, friction plates 21 and 22 respectively being mounted, on one hand, between the solid upper base 23 of the half cylinder 13 and the lower face of the said plate 3 and on the other hand, between the solid lower base 24 of the half cylinder 14 and the upper face of the said plate 2.

The return drum 10 consists of a hollow return roll 25 which may rotate freely about the said axis 11 andvinto which engages the upper end of a helical spring 26, the free end 27 of the last turn of the said spring 26 passing through the side wall of the said half cylinder 25. The lower portion of the said spring 26 engages into a half cylinder 28, the free end 29 of the last lower turn of the said spring 26 passing through the side wall of the said half cylinder 23. In its solid lower base 30, the latter is provided with an adjustment finger 31 provided to receive the loop 32 of a return lace 33, the ends of which 34 and 35 respectively are secured to the said end 29 of the lower turn of the spring 26. Owing to a particular configuration of the said axis 11, the assembly of the return drum 10 is such that the lower half cylinder 28 is substantially stationary relative to the support 1, whereas the upper half cylinder 25 may rotate about the said axis 11.

The axes 20 of the said friction drums 5, 6 and the axis 11 of the said return drum 10 are disposed triangularly and the assembly of the device is mounted on the loom in such manner that the side of the said triangle between the axes 20 is substantially perpendicular to the path of the picking stick 36.

The stopping member associated with the said cushioning member according to the invention consists mainly of a plurality of elements, namely three elements 37, 38 and 39 of a relatively flexible material, said elements being secured by means of bolts 40 and nuts 41 to two projections 42 and 43 respectively, integral with the upper face of the said plate 3 of the support 1. In the waiting position of the stop, said elements 37, 38 and 39 are preferably slightly spaced from each other, at least in the zone stressed directly by the picking stick 36 to provide for a rapidly increasing resistance of the stop.

The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows: when the picking stick 36 meets the receiving leather 7 between the friction drums 5 and 6, the leather is firmly applied against the latter. Then, the picking stick meets a resistance comprising the friction of the leather 7 against the drums 5 and 6, the resistance opposite to any rotation by the said drums (spring 19 and friction plates 21-22) and the resistance of the return spring 26. By this way, the energy of the picking stick is absorbed, the receiving leather 7 incurving inwardly of the device, between the said friction drums 5 and 6, as shown in FIGURE 2. Near the end of its stroke, the

- picking stick meets the stopping members 37, 38 and 39 and it comes than completely to rest.

When the picking stick leaves the receiving device, the friction strains of the leather 7 on the said drums 5 and 6 are cancelled and the said leather 7 is brought back to the receiving position by the return spring 26. The

tension of the latter may be adjusted by the angular position of the adjustment finger 21 in such manner that in any conditions, the device according to the invention may provide for an optimum braking of the picking stick.

Of course, numerous modifications may be brought to the device described in the foregoing within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Cushioning-stopping device for a picking stick in looms, characterized in that it comprises substantially the combination of a cushioning member and a stopping member, the said cushioning member consisting substantially of at least a flexible strip guided by two friction drums, said strip has a receiving surface for said picking stick between said two friction drums and its ends are secured to an adjustable return drum, said stopping member is substantially disposed in a plane parallel to said receiving surface of said strip and is retracted therefrom when the latter is at rest position.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said cushioning member consists of a common support on which are mounted two friction drums and a return drum, each of said friction drums consist of two adjacent hollow half cylinders each having a solid base, resilient means provided along the periphery outlined by said half cylinders are adapted to push said cylinders apart, a friction plate is provided between the solid base of each of said half cylinders and an adjacent surface of said common support.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the return drum consists substantially of a vertical helical spring, the upper end of which is covered by a hollow return cylinder, a folded free end of the last upper turn of said spring passes through a side wall of said hollow cylinder, the lower portion of said spring is engaged into a hollow half cylinder, a folded free end of the last lower turn of said spring passes through a side wall of said hollow lower cylinder, the ends of said strip are engaged by said folded end of the upper turn of said helical spring, while the folded end of the lower turn of said spring is engaged by free ends of a return lace, said lace is connected with an angularly moving adjustment finger which is integral with the axis of said lower half cylinder.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the axes of said friction drums and the axis of said return drum are disposed triangularly on a support, said support is mounted on the loom in such manner that the side of said triangle formed between the axes of said friction drums is substantially perpendicular to the path of the picking stick.

5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said stopping member includes a plurality of elements of a relatively flexible material, the said elements being made integral, through their ends, with the common support.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,516 1/1896 Dayli 139168 1,366,978 2/1921 Turner 139167 2,788,806 4/ 1957 Picanol 139168 FOREIGN PATENTS 280,298 12/ 1930 Italy.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

H. S. IAUDON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. CUSHIONING-STOPPING DEVICE FOR A PICKING STICK IN LOOMS, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT COMPRISES SUBSTANTIALLY THE COMBINATION OF A CUSHIONING MEMBER AND A STOPPING MEMBER, THE SAID CUSHIONING MEMBER CONSISTING SUBSTANTIALLY OF AT LEAST A FLEXIBLE STRIP GUIDED BY TWO FRICTION DRUMS, SAID STRIP HAS A RECEIVING SURFACE FOR SAID PICKING STICK BETWEEN SAID TWO FRICTION DRUMS AND ITS ENDS ARE SECURED TO AN ADJUSTABLE RETURN DRUM, SAID STOPPING MEMBER IS SUBSTANTIALLY DISPOSED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID RECEIVING SURFACE OF SAID STRIP AND IS RETRACTED THEREFROM WHEN THE LATTER IS AT REST POSITION. 